Tasha's Birthday Surprise flavor
The name of Tasha’s Caramel Corn, one of the vendors at this year’s Olde Pickerington Farmers’ Market, is a bit of a misnomer.
It’s not run by the titular Tasha, but by her mother, Pickerington resident Leah Spivak. And though caramel is definitely on the menu, it’s only a small part of it.
Spivak started the business from her home about three years ago. The story of how she made that decision, she admits, has something of a sad start.
Her husband, Alex had lost his job and, shortly thereafter, was diagnosed with colon cancer. As he underwent treatment, Spivak, who had been a stay-at-home mother, realized she needed to do something to help support the family.
“I had been making this popcorn for neighbors and friends on Christmas and birthdays … and someone said, ‘Why don’t you find a way to package that stuff up? It’s so good,’” Spivak says.
After she figured out a way to package her popcorn and bought the necessary equipment, she used inspiration from family and friends to cobble together a menu. Now, Alex has recovered both physically and professionally, but the success of Tasha’s continues.
Now, the plain caramel that started it all is joined by caramel variations that incorporate walnuts, pecans, chocolate, sea salt and pretzels. Other options include such fruit flavors as Lemon Drop, Chocolate Smothered Strawberry and Fruity Orange Blast; savory options including Cheddar, White Cheddar and Buffalo; and a handful of miscellaneous flavors, ranging from Cookies and Cream and Vanilla to Pumpkin Spice and Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroon.
“People just go cuckoo crazy over it,” Spivak says. “I feel so fortunate.”
Chocolate Sea Salt Pretzel is the No. 1 seller, Spivak says, followed by Peanut Butter Cup and Birthday Surprise, the latter featuring cake mix, white chocolate and sprinkles. The most off-the-wall flavor might be the Key Lime Pie.
“Everybody’s scared to taste it, but once they do, they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s just incredible,’” says Spivak.
Tasha's Chocolate Smothered Caramel flavor
Everything is popped in a small popper, then hand-dipped. Spivak uses a double oven that allows her to make three trays’ worth of popcorn at a time, which produces about eight bags. It’s a tedious process – though it’s slightly different for the Hot Buffalo and cheddar-based flavors – but it’s worth it in the end, Spivak says.
“For eight bags of popcorn, it takes an hour and a half to two hours to make,” she says.
Because of the time-consuming process, the full line-up of flavors is never available all at one time.
This is Tasha’s third year at the farmers’ market. It should also be familiar to patrons of 5 Bean Coffee in Reynoldsburg, which always has an assortment of its products on hand.
Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Doughnut Devotion
Couple looks to their first meeting for baking inspiration
Tasha’s Caramel Corn isn’t the only vendor that doesn’t have to travel far to the Pickerington Farmers’ Market.
Meri’s Bakery and Pompeii’s Inferno, both local, have been with the market since it started in 2013. Tasha’s joined in 2014 and, last year, Mauger’s Mini Donuts made its debut.
Mauger’s, one of the dine-on-site vendors, keeps its offerings simple: fresh-cooked on the spot doughnuts with cinnamon and sugar. In the fall, it adds pumpkin doughnuts to the menu.
“They’re fresh as you watch,” says co-owner Robert Mauger. “You can watch them be made and roll down the chute.”
Robert and his wife, Jean, are Pickerington residents through and through; the Mauger family has been in the city for over 100 years, Robert says. They started the doughnut business about five years ago.
Why doughnuts? It so happens that the couple met 41 years ago, when both were working at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Among their first memories together are watching the doughnut vendors’ machines pop out their products, Robert says, so it was a natural progression that doughnuts would come up when they were discussed options to keep busy after retirement.
“I was just fascinated with the doughnut machine back when we first met,” he says.
Leah and Tasha Spivak at the Tasha's Caramel Corn booth
Key Lime Pie Popcorn
Ingredients
1 ½ cups un-popped popcorn
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup key lime cake mix
2 sticks butter
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. key lime extract
Green food color, if desired
White melting chocolate
Instructions
Pop corn and place in a large mixing container. Combine butter, corn syrup and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil, but make sure to do it slowly to avoid burning the sugar.
Remove from heat and add cake mix, extract, baking soda and food coloring. Stir.
Pour mixture over the popcorn and mix well. Spread onto cookie sheets and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Let cool, drizzle with chocolate and enjoy.
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